Summary of this article
Deepfake of Finance Minister claims investment returns of Rs 1.5 lakh in a month.
Press Information Bureau issued a fact-check on this.
Government does not support or endorse any such high-return scheme.
A recent video caught attention on social media, which claims that an investment of Rs 21,000 can yield returns of up to Rs 1.5 lakh per month. This video gets more attention since it comes with an additional assertion that the scheme is endorsed by the Finance Minister.
The clip shows the Finance Minister promoting this "high-return" investment plan. These claims have sparked alarm across social media, since many users fell for these get-rich-quick schemes.
Following this, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) has issued a fact-check on these claims and specifically this video, making a clear statement that these claims are false. The video is manipulated, with no official scheme launched or endorsed by the Finance Minister.
The returns of Rs 1.5 lakhs from a mere investment of Rs 21,000 are fake. Neither is there a backing from any credible regulatory institution. The citizens have been warned not to fall for such content without verifying the facts.
The disclaimer is clear; it is important for investors to go through every such claim and scrutinise them before considering them for investment. This promise of extraordinarily high returns often signals risks and misinformation or even fraud. In recent months, people with malicious intent have increasingly exploited AI and deepfake tools to create videos that mimic the person in likeness and voice, in hopes of creating false credibility.
Moreover, any such scheme should be cross-checked with financial advisors, and their credibility should be noted in depth. Any such platform advertising quick money schemes can be unlicensed and high-risk. Most genuine investment vehicles follow a structured risk-return profile and do not promise guaranteed returns, especially with multi-fold returns on the initial investment, which is often unrealistic and unrealistic within a month.
Real returns require reasonable risk, legitimacy and regulatory transparency. Promises of quick windfalls with little risk and sure-shot high returns end up being one way to get scammed. As the PIB statement underscores, the government does not support or endorse any such high-return scheme.
In a climate where people are burdened with economic anxiety and many seek out quick financial relief, they tend to fall for such get-rich-schemes easily and end up losing a lot more than they planned to.
Harsh Gupta, Founder of SIP Yatrra, Personal Finance Professional, advises, "People need to be extremely alert when they see any quick-money or guaranteed-return scheme, especially those misusing the image of respected leaders. Money cannot be multiplied overnight by a legitimate investment. Before taking any action, I always advise people to confirm credibility using the official website, like always cross-check the scheme on the official government website, the official portal of the organisation claiming to offer the investment, or the bank’s authentic website if it is a bank-linked scheme."
In short, this claim of earning Rs 1.5 lakh in one month from a simple investment of Rs 21,000 is entirely false. Neither the government nor the Finance Minister has endorsed it. This revelation comes with a warning to verify before investing, especially when the returns seem too good to be true.
